Love Grows
by nyctophillic
Summary: Squall likes to think he's stone, instead he's ice. Ice melts. SquallRinoa


**Love Grows**

_She only wants to make him feel...  
_

"Can I rest my head on your shoulder for a bit?" She asked with a hint of hope twinkling in her starry eyes. Sitting beside her, he let out a simple mutter and she proceeded to slowly place her head, despite the repulsion. She let out a simple smile...

"I couldn't sleep tonight," she admitted. "Then I found you."

"Oh," was all he could let out.

"I had another nightmare, been having them a lot lately, you know."

"Oh." She felt the magnetic feeling against her cheek.

"You don't have to say anything, you know... but I just want to let something out. It's been bothering me for quite some time..."

Silence drifted through the air.

"I've never liked my father... I guess you got a glimpse of that before, huh? And when I met _him,_ it was so strange. I fell in love with someone... who was inexplicably like him. The way he talked, how distant he was... every time he pulled away, I had to reach out for him. I felt there was no way in the world I could ever let him go. But then he would take two steps backwards... and I..."

Silence lapped the atmosphere like the tide, the sounds of the night dying down every now and then.

"Well, I... I couldn't keep up. When I would reach out for him, there was nothing to grasp. It suddenly became so hard... so hard to keep up. It hurt so much to stay but I loved him. Then I thought back to my father..."

"..."

"Well I ended the game with my father... and I founded the Forest Owls. And I met you, didn't I? So... I... I ended it with him. I didn't want to play that game anymore. I couldn't handle it anymore, Squall. So that's what I did, and now I've ended up here with you, in a moment like this... And you know what?"

"... What?" He let out, albeit stubbornly forcing himself to remain quiet.

"I've caught myself playing the game again."

It became difficult to fight against it and still remain on his shoulder but she still managed to stay. The man beside her kept still and silent and she could see how lonely his light eyes looked. And it was a miracle but she reached out for him and...

"_I don't want you to be lonely anymore."_

... she interlocked her fingers with his.

It was miraculous but the strength and stubbornness of his body slipped, and she felt him lean against her, only slightly, but it was just enough. Her fingers tightened around his, afraid this moment would be lost with a simple blink.

There was no longer any force to fight so on his shoulder she lay comfortably. Silence still surrounded them but it was different now, it was a comfortable silence... Turning upwards to gaze at him, she saw his eyes closed. He had a calm expression. She returned to his shoulder, the fur beneath her cheek comforting and warm...

"I'm not really sure of anything..."

"..."

"I'm always here for you, that's all I'm certain of..."

The atmosphere seemed to keep still, like the clock had frozen for this particular moment. She was afraid that it would start back up again and everything gained would be lost so she lifted her heavy cheek and turned to face him.

"I'm not sure of anything..."

Her nose rested against his cold, pale cheek, her fingers still holding on tightly to something they felt unimaginable.

"I have no certainties," she whispered against his skin. Where her words hit, goose bumps attacked his skin violently. "But I will play this game again... for you... for only you..." It was daring, very daring; her lips brushed against his cheek feverishly, but he remained very still. Her fingers left his cold hands and went to his other cheek. She could feel the ice melt beneath her touch.

Fortunately, the clock still remained still, the world unchanged around them. However, within them lay an ever so slowly budding blossom...

"All I know is... even if this moment is taken away please remember it. Please... cherish it, Squall. Remember it as me being a fool... and continuing to play this daunting game."

Her lips slowly lifted off of his skin, and she pulled away. He no longer leaned against her and his hands drifted to his lap. She could feel the increasing repulsion arising amidst the breaking atmosphere. In an earth-shattering moment, the clock broke, and the unchanged world took a breath again. The world was alive once more.

"Every step back you take, I'll take two forward... only for you, Squall. I'd do it only for you."

Lifting herself up from the concrete, she sent him a smile, albeit his gaze still lying in front of him. The only thing she could notice was his now crooked posture... his inability to maintain his disposition.

"I'd do it for you," she chuckled slightly, the echo hitting his ears. He suddenly felt...

"_Squall, only you."_

... warm.

* * *

So, my first Squall and Rinoa fanfic... what did you think? You can be honest with me, I'm up for any criticism! I simply adore this pairing, and this game, and I've always wanted to write a fanfic with them but never got around to it... Hopefully this is up to everyone's standards, haha. Anyway, thanks so much for your time, and if you could, please review!


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